Training has begun in earnest for 1 MERCIANs deployment to Kabul next year.

There was a group discussion on ethical leadership led by the Padre before delving into leadership case studies and developing command skills

They began by studying the attributes of a spectrum of leaders; from Angelina Jolie to Sir Alex Ferguson to Lieutenant Colonel Bell (the CO of Ranger Maguire killed on the ranges in Pembroke) to Bonaparte and discussing how to apply their virtues inside the battalion

Alongside this they continued to develop their fitness, teamwork, confidence and leadership on a 13 km march with nine command tasks along the way.

ALL CHANGE FOR 26 ENGINEER REGIMENT

This week has seen the start of a new era for Perham Down based 26 Engineer Regiment as the transition from 8 Engineer Brigade to 25 (Close Support) Engineer Group. To mark the occasion, the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Will Turner was presented with the new Tactical Recognition Flash by Colonel Steve Davies.

25(CS) Engr Gp provide and command engineer close support to 3 (UK) Division and others to deliver success on current and future operations and commitments.

BARROW CLUMP BOOK PUBLISHED

The work led by Defence Infrastructure Organisation archaeologist Richard Osgood in excavating Barrow Clump on Salisbury Plain has bene recognised by the publication of a book about the work.

Barrow Clump, an Early Bronze Age burial mound that later became the burial place for Anglo Saxons in the 6th Century AD

Excavation of the site began in 2003 by Operation Nightingale to investigate the nature of damage from burrowing badgers.

Volunteers from Operation Nightingale were essential to the project. Operation Nightingale is a programme that uses archaeology to aid in the recovery of soldiers who are sick, wounded or were injured on operations

Digs unveiled discoveries including a female skeleton, a bucket with surviving yew staves, a fine great square-headed brooch and only the second Visigothic brooch of its type to be found in Britain, many spearheads with 6th Century shield bosses and a ‘warrior’ grave with a sword, spear, pin, belt and knife.